Nature and the Jesus Prayer

 Before I began reciting the Jesus Prayer, nature left me indifferent. I could look at the most beautiful flowers and the most majestic trees and feel nothing. Since I began the work of the prayer of the heart, things have changed little by little. I have come to see the blue of the sky as it truly is—pure, clean, and beautiful. I have come to look at trees and flowers and see that they all reflect God’s glory and His infinite beauty. They all seem to be an outpouring of the Creator’s love for His creatures. They all speak of His boundless love. These are the first signs that the Jesus Prayer has begun to transform my despairing and indifferent heart. How wonderful it would have been had I discovered it sooner. How many days and nights I might have spent in greater peace, kindness, and gratitude. Yet I thank God for having mercy on me now and for teaching me to take small, infant steps along the path of inner prayer. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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